'Agricultural specialisterne': rural employment revolution for those with Autism

The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in northwest Ohio.

The Autism Center at Toledo Children's Hospital, is part of the Toledo, Ohio-based nonprofit ProMedica Health System. The Autism Early Learning Program at the Center, for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders up to the age of 6, offers a clinical team with intensive training in applied behaviour analysis...

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ProMedica Toledo Children's Hospital (TCH) has a new early learning treatment program that offers state-of-the-art, evidence-based intervention services for children with autism from earliest diagnosis to 6-years-old. The Autism Early Learning Program offers a clinical team with intensive training in applied behavior analysis ...a science that uses behavioral techniques to teach children basic and complex skills.

"As the parent of a child with autism, I understand firsthand the importance and benefits of early diagnosis and treatment," says Kim Renner, program manager, Autism Early Learning Program. "We have a dynamic team of specialists and educators who are highly-trained and extremely passionate about the work they do."

The early learning program operates full-day and year-round with strong parent involvement and a low student-to-staff ratio. Initially, each child will receive one-to-one intervention and transition to small group settings as he progresses. The treatment process focuses on communication, behavior, play and socialization, and school readiness.

TCH's program was developed in consultation with Cleveland Clinic Autism Development Solutions (CCADS), a full-service, consulting division of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism. Cleveland's program specializes in helping other health and education organizations develop comprehensive, [Applied Behavior Analysis]-based services and/or comprehensive treatment center for children diagnosed with autism.

Travis Haycook is a senior behavioral consultant with CCADS. He has assisted several organizations, including TCH, in launching their own programs and utilizing the principles of [Applied Behavior Analysis.]

"As children are being diagnosed at much younger ages, there is an ever-increasing demand for intensive early intervention programs that enhance learning and development, such as the ProMedica Toledo Children's Hospital program," says Haycook. "A child's true progress lies not only within the programs offering these intensive services; it is also strongly supported by the participation of the parents and caregivers in the process. Their involvement can exponentially help further improve the child's opportunities for success."...

'Agricultural specialisterne': rural employment revolution for those with Autism

The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in northwest Ohio.

United Way of Greater Toledo is a Toledo, Ohio-based nonprofit that brings together people, companies and nonprofits to create positive change in its community. The nonprofit, which serves Lucas, Wood, and Ottawa Counties, provides information and assistance to individuals with various challenges, including children with Autism Spectrum Disorders...

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In 1994 in New York City, three determined parents of children with chronic health-care needs met to solve a problem. They were frustrated because their doctors, from a variety of disciplines, often were unaware of the daily health-care challenges faced by their children and their families. These concerned parents wanted to do something to promote better understanding of their exceptional family needs and thereby to improve the quality of their health care. From their ideas and efforts, an effective family-centered education program, Project DOCC (Delivery of Chronic Care) was born.

Laurie Mold had been avery engaged parent in Lucas County, Ohio, even before she became active in Project DOCC. She was a parent mentor for the Arc of Lucas County, an information assistant with The Autism Society of Northwest Ohio (her nine-year-old son, Shamus, has autism) and an information and assistance specialist at the United Way of Greater Toledo, a position she still holds. Laurie clearly enjoys her work, and one of her work goals is clear. "I want to help empower parents by giving them the tools and means they need to be effective advocates for their children with disabilities."

In June of 2007 Laurie became parent coordinator of Project DOCC, a new program in the Community Outreach Department of Toledo Children‘s Hospital. The purpose of the medical education project is to improve the quality of life for children who are chronically ill and/or disabled and their families by using parents as teachers of health careworkers. The parent-faculty, by sharing their real life experiences and their children‘s special health care needs, help to educate doctors-in-training (residents from the W.W. Knight Family Practice and the University of Toledo Residency Program), other health care professionals, and community partners. The project is funded by a five-year grant from the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council (ODDC) and matching funds.

Ms. Mold, now the project coordinator, describes the process. "To be selected for training as parent-faculty, parent volunteers must have two years working with their child‘s disability. We lookfor parents who are committed to making a positive contribution, and we involve parents of children with a wide variety of chronic care needs, with [various challenges including Autism Spectrum Disorders...]"

...Mold believes that parent engagement is both healthy and helpful. "Many families who have been lost and alone in the beginning have found support, strength and friendship through the program…These parents just want to make a difference because they‘ve had a hard journey. They just want to see other families have an easier way of it." What does Laurie find most re-warding about her own work in Project DOCC? "I think the doors we are opening for future families and the friends Ihave made through the programs have been the greatest gifts to me personally." From an idea shared by three en-gaged parents 16 years ago, Project DOCC has grown into a vital program which has trained thousands as parent faculty and over 800 medical residents at 24 hospitals in the U.S. and Australia. And new programs are beginning each year. That‘s how parent power works!

Here is a link to a video from the United Way of Greater Toledo-funded Wood County Play Group/Creative Curriculum, which provides family support services and a nurturing learning environment for children with various challenges, including Autism Spectrum Disorders, ages zero to three:

'Agricultural specialisterne': rural employment revolution for those with Autism

The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in northwest Ohio.

To the south, the Center for Autism and Dyslexia (CAD), based in Allen County, Ohio, is a chartered school and therapeutic centre providing Applied Behavior Analysis for students from preschool level. Started a decade ago to serve the needs of children and families affected by Autism, the Center is a structured, sensory-friendly environment where children receive individual 1-on-1 and small group therapies and instruction...

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...Many children with autism go to traditional schools, but there are schools that work solely with children on the autism spectrum. One of those schools is right here in [Allen County].
At just 18 months old, now 4 year old Drew Rosi's parents David and Lori noticed Drew wasn't like most kids. They thought drew may have a hearing problem, but their doctor had a different diagnosis.
"They said it looks like he may be on the autism spectrum and it was like whoa, what's going on, you know," David Rosi said.
The Rosi's did some research and realized drew needed applied behaviour analysis therapy so about a year ago they moved to [Allen County]... so Drew could go to school at [CAD].

..."Most people like to say you've met one child with autism, you've met one child with autism," Director Susan Pneuman, said.
The school takes two approaches to teaching: small classroom instruction and what the Rosi's wanted, ABA instruction, which reinforces positive behaviors.
"It's based on positives so sometimes I'll liken my ABA therapists to Mary Poppins because they're always reinforcing behaviors they want to see increase and that includes academic behaviors as well as behaviours that might occur in communication, verbal language, fine or gross motor skills, or social skills. All of those are incorporated into an
ABA program," Pneuman said.
A recent study ...found with the proper therapy, many children's conditions improve dramatically over time.
"You can train the brain to learn in other areas and the younger we start to involve interventions the more likely that brain plasticity can take place. We start teaching them what we call a coax or the beginning of works like buff or ball and within a year that child may be speaking words or sentences and it's so exciting to see that happening and our families of course are so excited to see that happen," Pneuman explained.
The Rosi's say Drew's already improved since starting at [CAD.]
"He's been progressing amazingly. When we first got here he wasn't even talking and now he's talking and singing and reading with us with books and he goes to [CAD] and they've been working with him with the ABA therapy, applied behavior analysis, and that seems to really be helping," David Rosi, said...

'Agricultural specialisterne': rural employment revolution for those with Autism

The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in northwest Ohio.

The Children's Center for Developmental Enrichment (CCDE) is a Westerville, Ohio-based nonprofit whose services, through its school Oakstone Academy, include early intervention services for children from birth to age 3. The Oakstone Academy was founded on the principle of providing a truly inclusive environment for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, allowing them to be full participants in the classroom with peers who do not have disabilities...

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The city of Westerville is home to one of the few schools in the U.S. founded on the principle of providing a truly inclusive environment for children with autism spectrum disorders...
Oakstone Academy, located on South State Street, has created a school where students with autism are full participants in the classroom with peers who do not have disabilities.

[At least] three families of children with [Autism Spectrum Disorders] ...founded the Children's Center for Developmental Enrichment (CCDE) in 1999. CCDE's goal was to develop an educational model based on the inclusion of students with [Autism Spectrum Disorders] and their typically developing peers.

CCDE opened its doors to students in 2000, and opened Oakstone Academy, named for the street on which the first building was located, in 2002. This year, Oakstone Academy graduated its seventh senior class.

The process of starting a school from scratch, especially one based on a new education model, is no easy task. The education model Oakstone uses is called Social Immersion.

...Social Immersion classrooms consist of 18-20 children, two teachers and an assistant. Usually, seven or eight of the students in a classroom have [Autism Spectrum Disorders]. Students can apply for enrollment in Oakstone Academy as early as preschool, and the school touts that about 80 percent of the students who begin there as preschoolers thrive in the Social Immersion model.

Oakstone Academy draws students from all over the Columbus area -- 18 local school districts in the 2016-17 school year -- with some traveling from as far as Marysville, Newark and Mt. Gilead on a daily basis. There are even families moving to central Ohio from across the U.S. to attend the school.

...Oakstone Academy refers to its neurotypical students without [Autism Spectrum Disorders] as 'peers,' and this group of students is an important part of the school?s success.

This past year, Oakstone Academy served 550 children across all grades, and 280 of those children have [Autism Spectrum Disorders]. Students at Oakstone have many opportunities available to them through the school.

...Starting in fifth grade, students may participate in theater, and boys' basketball and girls' volleyball are available beginning in sixth grade in addition to clubs for ultimate Frisbee, running and bowling. High school boys and girls may run cross country and join the swim team, and the boys can also choose basketball, while girls can play volleyball...

Oakstone Academy is also very focused on character education and student leadership as principles of the Social Immersion model, and there are programs that students can participate in beginning in middle school to help further themselves in these areas...